Street-sweeping machine.



B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPUCATION FILED NOV. 19, |914. BQSDQS Y Patented Deo. 17, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED N.o\.'.19. 1914.

Patented Deo. 17, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

B. KERN.

STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I9. 1914.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

B. KERN'.

STREET SWEEPING MAcHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.19, |914. 1,288,028. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

B. KERN. STREET swEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NQVI9, 1914.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHED' 5.

J4/manic@ www B. KERN.

STREET swEEPlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19. |914.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD KERN, OF SANDUSKY, 0R10.

STREET-SWEEPIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. l

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application led Noveniber 19, 1914. Serial No. 878,009.

erence being had therein to the accompany- Y ing drawing."

This invention relates to improvements in street sweeping machines ofthat type wherein brushing means are utilized to loosen the refuse froma street surface, in the zone of influence of a volume of air forlifting and conveying such refuse to a suitable point of deposit, as forexample, toV a separating system, or dump cart, not necessary to bereferred to in detail herein.

An object of the present invention is to provide a suitable conduit, inconjunction with an exhaust fan, said conduit being provided with asuitable inlet nozzle or mouthpiece, the latter being of an elongatedflexible nature enabling the sections thereof to adjust themselves inkeeping with the road surface over which the machine travels; and morespecifically a mouthpiece having telescoping pivoted sections furnishedwith means for maintaining the sections in alinement, independent oftheir respective adjustments, to'preserve at all times a continuouschannel throughout the mouthpiece.

A further object of the invention is the association of a suitablebrush, preferably of a rotary type, with a mouthpiece, and improvedmeans for connecting together and 'adjusting the relative positions ofthe mouthplece and broom; this combination, in a practical embodimentthereof, including a brush of a flexible nature adapted to adjust itselfin consonance with the adjustment of the flexible mouthpiece to which Ihave hereinabove alluded.

The invention further embraces a construction wherein a mouthpiece isemployed in conjunction with an air lifting and conveying means, andwith a brush adapted to throw the refuse material from the streetsurface into the influence of the air passing into the mouthpiece, abaile or deflecting means being carried by the mouthpiece to prevent t-c throwing of the refuse therebeyond.

The invention still further contemplates the provision of improvedcounterbalancing means for the mouthpiece and brush enabling the latterto rise and fall to follow the contour of the road surface; and,preferably, such counterbalancing means coperatively related tomechanism for raising the mouthpiece and broom out of operativeassociation with the surface over which the machine travels.

The foregoing and many other features of Vdetail and combinations ofparts constituting refinements of the present invention will be morereadily understood from the accompanying' drawings forming part hereof,when considered in connection with the specic description thereofhereinafter contained, and wherein the preferred embodi ment of theinvention is disclosed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a street sweeper possessingthe improvements desired to be protected herein,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the connecting and adjusting meansbetween the mouthpiece and broom,

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the flexible mouthpiece,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sectional brush,

Fig. 5 is a partial end view,

Fig. v6 -is a front view of the counterbalancing means and associatedparts, parts being shown in section, Y

Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof,

F ig. 8 is a detail longitudinal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7showing one of the counterbalancing weights and connections therefor, vy

Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, and

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional View.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters refer to the corresponding parts in the Several views, Arepresents a rotary brush designed to loosen the refuse from the streetor road surface and throw it into the range of infinence of a volume ofair passing into the mouth of a conduit B, the latter being coupledthrough branches b b and flexible tubular connections C, C to theopposite sections D, D constituting the mouthpiece.

The sections of the mouthpiece are tapered at their upper portions, asshown, to merge into the cylindrical coupling members C, C', while attheir lower ends they are elongated and combined to constitute asubstantially oblong inlet opening E, the adjoining inner sections ofthe mouthpiece overlapping, as at l?, and being pivotally united by abolt G to permit the sections to move relative to each other around theaxis of said bolt, in keeping with the surface of the ground, while atall times maintaining the continuity of the inlet opening of themouthpiece. rlhe sections of the mouthpiece are maintained in aline-mentand reinforced against lateral strains by means of a bar secured at 7Lto the section D and working through a bracket h on the section l), thebar being formed on an arc concentric to the pivot bolt G.

At the. upper surface of the mou-thpiece, l arrange a correspondinglysectional deflector l provided with adjustable mountings c' fordetermining the projection of the sections with reference to themouthpiece, these sections, or baiiies, serving to prevent the throwingof the dirt upwardly beyond the opening of the mouthpiece by the brush.The adjustable mountings c' enable the projecting and retracting of thedelector, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2, the sections beinglocked in place by bolts t" and nuts 2, passing through slots 3 in thebrackets at the ends of the mouthpiece, (Figs. 2 and 3).

lt is observed that the opening E in Ithe mouthpiece inclines upwardlyand rearwardly owing to the curvature of the mouthpiece throughout thebody portion thereof, and that said opening faces rearwardly of thedirection of travel of the vehicle, the :bottom of the mouthpiece beingprovided with a trailing exible contact strip d adapted to wipe alongover the surface of the ground to prevent the dirt being thrown beneaththe mouthpiece, following in that respect the general purposes of theadjustable deflector l at the top of the mouthpiece.

1n advance of the mouthpiece l may, should occasion require, securesectional Scrapers in the n-ature of brushes l ,-one carried by eachsection of the mouthpiece,- designed to loosen the. matter to becollected from the street, prior to the lifting of such 4matter by thebrush A to be thrown by such brush toward the inlet opening of theconduit mouth.

The brush A is mounted to rotate upon an axle la mounted at its oppositeends in bearings li/l', swiveled upon the swinging supporting bars U,the lower ends of the bars passing through sleeves n integral with thebearings and headed, as at N, to prevent withdrawal thereof. Theopposite ends of the arms are pivoted upon a supporting shaft P. f rlhismounting of the brush upon the arms 0 permits the same to rise and fallfollowing its contact with the road surface, and to insure the samemovement of the mouthpiece so as to maintain the xed operative relationof the mouthpiece and brush insane@ at all times, the brush andmouthpiece are rigidly and adjustably united as follows, to wit: Q arerearwardly extending bars securely fastened to the ends of themouthpiece, the free ends of said bars being formed into. T-heads havingvertical slots g therein enabling the relative adjustment ofA the broomand mouthpiece in a. vertical direction; these =lheads lying adjacent tosimilar projecting portions R on the bearing members M provided withhorizontal slots r permitting relative horizontal adjustment of themouthpiece and brush, bolts S passing through the slots Q and 7 at theintersection thereof and binding the parts in the desired xed adjustableposition.

lo relieve the bearings of lateral strains, the side bars or arms (l)are slotted as at 0 for the accommodation of depending guide arms '1`xedly secured to the frame of the machine in position to have the arms 0work up and down freely thereover, as the brush and mouthpiece rise andfall, it being understood that the flexible connections C, C for themouthpiece,which is conveniently formed of strong metal,-permit themouthpiece to move vertically while maintaining its operativeassociation with the conduit.

'llo enable the broom to adjust itself vertically in keeping with thesurface of the ground, the axle L thereof is formed in sections (shownas of equal length), the inner end of one of the sections being formedinto av Socket Z and the inner end of the other section being formedinto a rounded knob Z affording a universal union at .the center of thebrush A, the latter being correspondingly formed of sections, aliningwith the sections of the mouthpiece, and having the bristles a at thejuncture of the sections converging outwardly to meet at the center ofthe brush and close over and around the space required for the couplingmembers Z, Z just defined.

ll represents the exhaust fan, to the eye of which the conduit B isfastened, and u is a fragmentary/ portion of a conduit leading from thedisch-arge portion of this fan to the point of deposit desired. rlhe fanis driven from any suitable motor driving the shaft V, and the brush Ais driven from the same shaft through the medium of the chainconnections c transmitting motion to the sprockets c on the shaft P andfrom thence through a chain c2 to the sprockets c3 on the brush sha-ftor axle L, Fig. l, it being understood that the driving connections forthe brush are duplicated at the opposite end of the brush on the otherside of the machine. By this means, it will be seen that the drivingpower for the brush may always exert its operating energy upon the brushindependently of the vertical adjustment of the latter.

To facilitate the rise and fall of the combined brush and mouthpiece, itis desirable that counterbalancing means therefor be provided, and it isalso expedient that means be provided additionally to saidcounterbalancing means, for elevating the brush and mouthpiece to aposition away from operative association with the ground when themachine is not in service. To these ends the following instrumentalitiesare furnished:

`W, W are a pair of bars disposed transversely of the machine, the outerends of the bars being twisted and oset so as to be bolted as at w tothe opposite ends of the.

mouthpiece, this fastening being'a rigid one. The opposite, or meetingends of the bars are formed so that they have an interfitting, oroverlapping, relation, that is, the bar W is continuously straight,whereas the bar W is forked or bifurcated as at w; a roller wz passingthrough slots w3, u# in the overlapped ends of the bars to permit saidends to play over each other upon the roller acting as a pivot disposedin the vertical plane of the pivot G of the mouthpiece sections.

To the opposite ends of the bolt or other aXle w5 of the roller, towhich I have just referred, I secure a clevis we, from which issuspended a link X, nthe latter being split at its upper end m toreceive the closed lower end of the clevis, and carrying a rollerrocking in the latter. The lower end of the link X is connected to thepivot G of the mouthpiece sections, as illustrated (Fig. 5). Also,passing through the split upper end of the link X is the end of an armY, the same being slot-ted as at y to receive a roller y mounted upon apin y2 supported for adjustment in any of the apertures g3 of the linkX. The arm Y is carried rearwardly for some distance and in a horizontaldirection from the link, and then bends downwardly and terminates in abearing sleeve y1 .surrounding the cupped or socketed end l of the shaftsection L, all of the connections now being described being in the planeof the pivot of the mouthpiece sections, so as to permit the broomsections and mouthpiece sections to rise and fall together, and therollers to which I have alluded' being provided for antifrictionpurposes, as will be obvious. From the bearings y* an integral arm Yextends forwardly to pivot upon the shaft P.

Intermediate the ends of the bars W and V, I provide eyes z to which thelower ends of chains z are attached, the upper ends of the chains beingsecured to levers e2, piv-V oted to the frame of the machine, as at z3,the outer or free ends of the levers carrying counterbalancing weightsZ.

The weights are designed to counterbalance the combined weights of thebroom and mouthpiece, and through the eXible connections hereinabove setforth the broom and mouthpiece are normally free,-when thecounterbalancing weights are in action,-to rise and fall toautomatically accommodate themsedves to irregularities in the groundsurface.

At times, as when the machine is being movedV from place to place, it isexpedient that the brush and mouthpiece be raised ar substantialdistance from .the ground, and be held in inoperative position, thisbeing accomplished by means of a hand or foot lever 2 rigidly connectedto a transverse shaft 3 rotatably mounted in bearings 4 on the frameworkof the machine, and said shaft having projecting arms 5 rigidlyconnected thereto,one formed integrally with the lever 2,-the armshaving oset notched fingers 6 adapted to engage the under side of theweight levers 22 at the ends thereof opposite to the weights Z, so thatwhen the arms 5 are raised the weighted ends will fall, and the brushand broom raised by engagement of the arms with the levers z2, anysuitable means as a ratchet and pawl being employed to lock the lever 2in adjusted positions. It will be observed that the pivoting of theweight levers e2 at z3 is uponl the shaft 3, and that the weight leversare arched at their middle portions e4 to pass over the cross beam z5 ofthe frame of the machine.

While I have herein disclosed one lspecific embodiment of 'theinvention, it isjgo be understood thatA the invention is capable ofembodiment in other forms and devices without 'departing from the spiritthereof, and as 1. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with asectionalbroom, of a flexible sectional mouthpiece associated with aconductor to carry off the refuse liberated by the broom, means formounting the brush and broom to permit them to rise and fall relativelyto the ground, and a common counterbalancing means for the brush andmouthpiece comprising bars secured to the outer ends of the mouthpieceand flexibly connected together` connecting instrumentalities betweensaid flexible connection and the corresponding connection between thebroom lsections, and counterbalance weights associated with the bars,substantially as described.

2. In a street sweeping machine, the combination with a sectional broom,of a ieXible sectional mouthpiece associated with aconductor to carryoli the refuse liberated by the broom` means for mounting the brush andbroom to permit them to rise and fall relatively to the ground, a commoncounterbalancing means for the brush and mouthpiece comprising barssecured to the outer ends of the mouthpiece and flexibly connectedtogether, connecting instrumenneeaoae means between the exibleconnection of the.

bars and the corresponding connection ot the broom sections comprisingan adjustable link coupling member, substantially as described. y

3. ln a street sweeping machine, the combination with a sectional broom,ot a tlexible sectional mouthpiece associated with a conductor to carry'o the refuse liberated by the broom, means for vmounting the brush andbroom to permit them to rise and tall relatively to the ground, a commoncounterbalancing means for the brush and mouthpiece comprising barssecured to the outer ends of the mouthpiece and flexibly connectedtogether, connecting instrumentalities between said flexible connectionand the corresponding connection between the broom Sections andcounterbalance weights associated with the bars, and the connectingmeans between the i'iexible connection of the bars and the correspondingconnection ,ot the broom sections comprising an adjustable link couplingmember, one end ot said link coupling member being connected to thetlen'ible connection between the sections o'f the mouthpiece.

Ll. 1n a street sweeper, the combination with a broom having sectionsmovable with reference to each other and with reference to the streetsurface, ot a mouth piece having portions similarly movable withreference to each other and with respect to the street surface, meanstor connectin the outer ends ot the broom sections wit the correspondingouter ends ot the mouth piece whereby they may rise and tall together,coupling means between the inner portions of the broom sections and themouth piece, and counterbalancing means tor the mouth piece and broomsections, substantially as described.

5. lln a street sweeper, a conduit, and a mouthpiece for the conduitmounted to occupy a position in close proximity to the ground, saidmouthpiece comprising a plurality of sections arranged in substantiallylongitudinal alinement and pivotally connected at their ends to adjustthemselvesV engaging both of said sections :for prohibiting transverseplay oit the pivoted sections with respect to each other.

6. ln a street sween er, a conduit, and a mouthpiece tor the conduitmounted to occupy a position in close proximity to the ground, saidmouthpiece comprising a plurality of sections arranged in substantiallylongitudinal alinement and pivotally connected at their ends to adjustthemselves in keepingcwith the irregularity of the surface of the groundand the ends of said sections overlapping each other to formsubstantially continuous front and rear walls of the mouth piece, incombination with rigid arms pivoted at one end to the trame orn themachine and at the other end connected to and carrying the outer ends ofthe outermost sections.

7. ln a street sweeper, a conduit, and a mouth piece for the conduitmounted to occupy a position in close proximity to the ground, saidmouth piece comprising a plurality of sections arranged in substantiallylongitudinal alinement and pivotally connected at their ends to adjustthemselves in keeping with the irregularities of the surface ot theground, in combination with a rotary brush mounted in rear of said mouthpiece and formed ot freely movable sections corresponding to thesections ot1 the mouth piece, and connections between the brush andmouth piece sections, whereby they are elevated and lowered inconsonance with each other.

8. ln a street sweeper, a conduit, and a mouth piece tor the conduitmounted to occupy a position in close proximity to the ground, saidmouth piece comprising a plurality ot sections arranged in substantiallylongitudinal alinement, and pivotally connected at their ends to adjustthemselves in keeping with the irregularities of the surtace ot theground, in combination'with a rotary brush mounted in rear of said mouthpiece and formed or" freely movable sections corresponding to thesections ot' the mouth piece, and connections between the brush andmouth piece sections whereby they are elevated and lowere in consonancewith each other, in combination with rigid pivoted arms carrying themouth piece and brush and counterbalancing in strumentalities for thebrush and mouth piece operatively associated with said rigid pivotedarms.

9. :in a street sweeper, a conduit, and a mouth piece for the conduitmounted to occupy a position in close proximity to the ground, saidmouth piece comprising a plurality ot sections arranged in substantiallylongitudinal alinement and yivotally connected at their ends to adjustthemselves in keeping with the irregularities ot the surface of theground, in combination with a rotary brush mounted in rear of said mouthpiece and formed ot reelv movable sections corresjiaonding1 to thesections of the mouth piece, and connection between Leashes the brushand mouth piece sections whereby they are elevated and lowered inconsonance with each other, in combination with counterbalancinginstrumentalities for the brush and mouth piece, a part of saidcounterbalancing instrumentalities being connected substantially at thepoint of juncture between the sections of the brush.

10. In a 'street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor mounted .forfree movement with respect to the` ground, a

brush in rear of said mouth piece movable therewith, and means for bothvertically and horizontally adjusting the positions of the mouth pieceand brush relative to each other and for holding them in rigid relationafter adjustment.

11. 1n a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor selfadjustable with reference to the ground, a brush adjustable therewith,counterbalancing instrumenta-lities for said mouth piece and brushnormally free to move therewith, and means for adjusting the positionsof the mouth piece and brush relative to each other and for holding themin rigid relation whereby the one cannot rise and fall without the otherafter adjustment.

12. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor composed of aplurality of movably connected sections having their adjoining end wallscut away to provide a continuous inlet, and a rotary brush in rear ofsaid mouth piece composed of a plurality of pivotally connectedsections, the bristles of the adjoining ends of the sections projectingtoward each other toform a continuous brushing surface substantiallyco-extensive with said inlets of the mouth piece.

13. 1n a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, a brush inrear of said mouth piece, yieldable means for supporting the mouth pieceand brush whereby they may automatically rise and fall, and adjustableconnecting instrumentalities intermediate the broom and mouth piece forrelatively adjusting them laterally and vertically whereby the one iscompelled to rise and fall simultaneously with the other to conform toirregularities in the surface of the ground while maintaining theirpredetermined relation.

14. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a sectional mouth piece therefor, arotary brush arranged to throw the material into said mouth piece, acorrespondingly sectional deflector at the top of the. entrance to the.mouth piece for preventing the escape of the brushed material beyond themouth piece, and means for adjusting any of the sections of thedeflector independently of the other sections thereof.

15. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor having anapproximately vertically disposed inlet opening, a brush mounted outsideof saidopeningfor throwthe sections assisting in supporting the same.

16. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth vpiece therefor, a brush-forthrowing the material into said mouth piece, supporting means includinga substantially free vertically swinging@ arml connected to said brush,and a rigid approximately vertically disposed guiding member dependingfrom the frame of the machine engaging an apertured portion of said armfor preventing lateral play of the arm.

17. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, a brush forthrowing the material into said mouth piece, supporting means includinga substantially free vertically swinging arm connected to said brush andmouth piece, a rigid approximately vertically disposed guiding memberdepending from the frame of the machine engaging an apertured portion ofsaid arm for preventing lateral play of the arm.

18. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, a .flexiblesectional brush for throwing the material into said mouth piece,substantially free vertically swingingarms, swivel connections betweensaid arms and the ends of the outer sections of the brush, and acounterbalance connected to the coupling intermediate the sections ofthe brush.

19. In a street sweeper, a conduit, a mouth piece therefor, a flexiblesectional brush for throwing the material into said mouth piece, spacingconnections between the brush and mouth piece, substantially freevertically swinging arms swiveled at the ends of the outer sections ofthe brush, and a counterbalance connected to the coupling intermediatethe sections of the brush.

20. 1n a street sweeper, a conduita mouth piece therefor, a flexiblesectional brush for throwing the material into said mouth piece,spacing'connections between the brush and mouthpiece, whereby they willrise and fall to the same extent, substantially free vertically swingingarms swiveled at the ends of the outer sections of the brush, andcounterbalancing means operatively associated with the swinging arms.

21. 1n a street sweeping machine, an eX- haust fan, a conduit leadingthereto, a narrow elongated mouth piece for said conduit disposed inproximity to the roadway and consisting of interftting sectionsassociated to form a continuous receiving opening and pivotallyconnected together, whereby said elongated mouth piece may be deflectedand caused to conform to the contour of the roadway.

22. In a street sweeper, its frame, guide f naeaoae arms pivotallysupported at one end to the frame of the machine and adapted to swing ina vertical plane, a broom journaled at the opposite end of said guidearms, an exhaust fan, a conduit leading from the broom to the fan, amouth piece for said conduit supported by the guide arms, and means forthe vertical adjustment of said mouth piece in relation to said guidearms.

23. 1n a street sweeper, its frame, guide arms pivotally supported atone endby the frame of the machine and adapted to swing in a verticalplane, a broom journaled at the opposite end of said guide arms, a fan,a conduit'leading from the broom to the fan, a mouth piece for saidconduit supported by the guide arms, and means for the hori- Zontaladjustment of the mouth piece in relation tothe broom. j

24. ln a street sweeper, its. frame, guide arms pivotally supported atone end by the frame of the machine and adapted to swing in a verticalplane, a. broom journaled at the opposite end of said guide arms, an

exhaust fan, a conduit leading from thev broom to the fan, a mouth piece.for said conduit supported by the guide arms, means for the horizontaladjustment of the mouth piece in'relation to the broom, and means forthe vertical adjustment of said mouth piece in relation to said guidearms.

25. 1n a street sweeper, a revolving broom, a suction device, a conduitleading to said suction device and opening approxi-v mately rearwardlywhereby to face in the direction of the revolving broom, and a deflectorat the top of the mouth of said conduit adapted to project from saidmouth and prevent throwing of the vmaterial beyond the conduit.

26. 1n a street sweeping machine, a broom, a f-an, a tubular mouthedconduit leading from a point near the broom to the fan, adjustableconnections compelling the mouth of the conduit and the broom to move upand down together, a portion of the conduit being flexible to permit themouth of the same and the broom to rise and fall in keeping with theirregularities of the ground surface.

27. 1n a street sweeper, a broom, a fan, a conduit leading from thebroom to the fan, a mouth piece for the conduit having a delectoradjacent its inlet opening, and means enabling the adjustment of saiddeflector.

28. ln a street sweeping machine, a`

brush or broom, a fan, a conduit leading from the brush or broom to thefan, pivotal supports for said conduit, flexible connections in saidconduit intermediate its inlet and the fan, and means for automaticallycontrolling the vertical movement of the conduit.

29. ln a street sweeper, a cylindrical for the broom, boxes or journalsfor said shaft, swiveled connections between said boxes or journals andthe other end of said pivoted guide arms, which permit said shafts to bedeflected at angles to the plane of said guide arms.

31. ln a street sweeping machine, a fan, a broom, a conduit leading fromthe broom to the fan, a mouth-piece for said conduit supported by guidearms, meansv enabling horizontal adjustment of the mouth-piece inrelation to the broom, and means enabling vertical adjustment of saidmouth-piece in relation to the guide arms.

32. ln a street sweeping machine, a cylindrical broom, a sectional shafttherefor,

means for pneumatically removing dust and dirt from in front of thebroom, a conduit for the dust and dirt, a sectional mouth piece for theconduit, swiveled bearings for said shaft, connections intermediate theAbroom and the mouth piece which cause duit, a corresponding mouth piecethereforv having an approximately rearwardly disposed inlet opening, asuction device for said conduit, a rotary brush mounted outside of andopposite to saidopening, for throwing material into the mouth piece, andmeans connecting said brush and mouth piece together, said means beingformed for adjustf ing the mouth piece and brush toward and from eachother to enable the maintenance of a normal relation between the two.

35. 1n a street sweeper, guide arms pivotally supported at one end uponthe machine and free to swing in a vertical plane, a broom having -asubstantially continuous sweeping surface, a shaft therefor, said shaftbeing in flexibly connected sections whereby the brush is yieldable inkeeping with the ground surface at a point intermediate the ends of thebrush, bones for tions, connections between the broom and the mouthpiece,- which permit them to be deflected in harmony with each other,and

counterbalancing means for the broom and 15 mouth piece.

In testimony Where-of I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses. BERNARD KERN. Witnesses:

L. N. WERNER, D. RoBB.

